Chefs in 40 EATS represent Wilmington at regional festivals

Monday

Oct 10, 2016 at 10:00 AM

For some chefs, representing the Port City on the road is just as important as singing the city's praises at home.

By Paul Stephen StarNews Staff

What do the Atlanta Food & Wine Festival, Charleston Wine + Food festival and the Terra Vita Food & Drink Festival in Chapel Hill have in common? Well, for starters, each boasted culinary power couple Dean Neff and his fiancee, Lydia Clopton, of PinPoint Restaurant among the featured chefs working the crowd.

They're not traveling alone. Waving from the other side of the tent they shared in Chapel Hill, fellow Wilmington restaurateur Keith Rhodes of Catch was almost as visible as the aroma of his coastal seafood stew was heady. All three are members of the recently launched advocacy group 40 EATS, a collective of the Port City's top dining establishments. The goal is to promote the region's food culture, and taking the Wilmywood show on the road is just as important as beating the drum at home, Neff said.

"I think an event like this is huge," said Neff, who was serving sushi-roll-inspired bites of rib-eye wrapped in shiso leaves and savoy cabbage. "We're only two hours away, and having a chance to connect with people outside the Wilmington area is critical."

The efforts weren't lost on Max Maxwell. The Wilmingtonian made the drive up to Chapel Hill to sample the array of nibbles and sips presented at the Terra Vita Food & Drink Festival, which celebrates sustainable agriculture in the state.

"It's awesome to see the local guys up here," Maxwell said. "I know there are great restaurants in Wilmington, but this lets the secret out to other people as well."

Wilmington isn't the only city with chefs leveraging the festival scene to benefit their hometowns. Clark Barlowe of Charlotte restaurant Heirloom was a couple of tables down from Neff and Clopton, serving a zippy tomato soup with shrimp salad and ramp oil.

"We have the same issue you have in Wilmington," Barlowe said. "People outside the area don't realize Charlotte has a food scene."

The 40 EATS crew will host a rustic family meal at an area farm later this month. Visit 40eats.com for location and ticket information. The site is currently under construction but should launch before the end of the week.

Reporter Paul Stephen can be reached at 910-343-2041 or Paul.Stephen@StarNewsOnline.com.